Indonesian children are nation’s most valuable assets: VP Ma’ruf Amin
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Vice President Ma’ruf Amin affirmed that Indonesian children are the nation’s most valuable assets whose rights to grow and be free from violence and discrimination should be assured.
“Child protection should be our collective concern, as children are the nation’s most valuable asset,” Amin stated by online means for the 2023 Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) Awards here on Thursday.
Although a law on child protection has been in force, he highlighted that complaints about child violence remain an urgent issue to address.
The vice president expressed concern that most reported cases of child violence occurred in the children’s family and alternative foster care.
“Hence, we should ensure family and alternative foster care will be a safe and comfortable environment for the child’s growth. The education sphere and school should also be a place to support children in their academics and social character development and talents’ studies,” Amin emphasized.
He also highlighted a 2020 research conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicating that Indonesia was placed at the 117th rank in the Children Flourishing Index out of 180 countries, lagging behind Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
“This means that families, as a miniature of society, and the nation, in (terms of) child rearing, are not developing as we expect. We should catch up to (address) this lacking by bolstering the commitment to synergize and collaborate between all national elements to ensure the fulfilment of rights and protection of Indonesian children,” the vice president affirmed.
Amin then called on the KPAI to optimize its role in child protection and address child-related issues, such as stunting, violence, sexual violence, and child marriage, including legal advocacy and victims’ recovery.
The KPAI should also raise public awareness of children’s rights and optimize its digital channel to bolster public campaigns as well as encourage parents to play a greater role in their children’s growth, including preventing violence, sexual violence, and harassment.
The vice president expressed hope that the 2023 KPAI Awards could be a medium to evaluate and assess the progress in child protection in Indonesia and encourage the nation to protect its children.
